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3 overrated Valentine’s Day travel activities and what you should do instead

Feb. 07, 2023
5 min read
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Valentine’s Day is a great excuse for romantic, couples-only travel – whether or not you think the holiday itself is overrated. Taking time out of your busy everyday schedules to enjoy a favorite getaway or explore someplace new is a wonderful way to reconnect with your sweetie and remember why you fell in love in the first place.

Yet it’s easy to fall for the hype of romantic travel.

Do you really need hotel baths strewn with rose petals or expensive bottles of champagne at dinner to rekindle the romance? Or is the travel industry sweet-talking you into spending money for overpriced experiences that don’t actually set the mood as well as you might hope?

After a bit of an anti-Valentine’s Day rant session, the TPG team came up with three Valentine’s Day travel activities we find totally overrated. If you’re tempted, let us suggest alternative experiences that we find more romantic — and more worth your time and hard-earned money.

Prix fixe candlelit dinners

Joining a cooking class is a great alternative activity to do on Valentine's Day opposed to a limiting prix fixe dinner at a hotel restaurant. THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES

Prix fixe is not French for “overpriced” but when have you encountered a prix fixe Valentine’s Day dinner menu that wasn’t underwhelming and over-budget? Plus, candlelit dinners may seem romantic in theory, but when you struggle to read the menu and then drop food on your date-night outfit because you can barely see, they’re more of a pain than a plus. Besides, don’t you want to gaze into your lover’s eyes without needing a flashlight?

Try this instead

Skip the overrated meal in the buzzy new hotel restaurant (come back on a non-holiday evening to get full rein of the menu) and try a cooking class instead.

You’ll still get to feed your sweetie morsels of goodness and accidentally-on-purpose brush against them as you reach for ingredients. But you’ll also learn more about the regional cuisine and culture of the place you’re visiting and bond over picking up some new culinary skills.

Alternatively, if you find cooking a chore, hit up a local market or bakery to pick up ingredients for a picnic: freshly baked bread, fancy cheese or deli meats, farm-fresh produce and a regional wine can make a simple yet romantic repast. You can even picnic in your hotel room if the February weather is too chilly for an outdoor meal.

Yes, you’ll feel a little silly at first – but you may be giggling with your partner in no time.

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Couples massages

Side-by-side spa treatments may not be for everyone so consider finding a spa that offers private hot tubs or considering booking a vacation rental with its own Jacuzzi to enjoy without needing to go anywhere. ANASTASIIA SHAVSHYNA/GETTY IMAGES

I could think of nothing less romantic than lying side by side with my husband at a hotel spa while some other person is sensuously rubbing his back. That is, until several TPGers reported that their significant others often start to snore in the middle of couples’ massages – which definitely kills the mood.

Try this instead

For some romantic R&R, skip the side-by-side spa treatments and hit the hot tub instead. It’s always lovely to snuggle up to your significant other in a bubbly bath, but you up the romance if you can snag a tub to yourself. Look for spas offering private hot tub rooms, or book a vacation rental with a Jacuzzi, where you can slip outside to gaze at the stars while you soak.

Or, get a little Scandinavian and seek out a sauna or steam room where you can sweat it out with your sweetie.

Flowers

Opting for a longer lasting memorable gift like local artwork is a great alternative to flowers that won't be able to travel home with you. LEOPATRIZI/GETTY IMAGES

You can never go wrong with a gift of flowers on Valentine’s Day (or any day – especially when you can earn extra points and miles on your purchase). But when you’re traveling, you’ve got one or two days to enjoy that overpriced bouquet of dying flora before you have to likely abandon it to fly or drive home.

Try this instead

Instead, give a more memorable gift that will last long after those rose petals have wilted.

Buy a piece of local art you can put up in your home and remember your romantic getaway when the workday blues have returned. Skip the mass-market diamonds and take your loved one to a local artisan’s boutique. Your jewelry purchase will be more one of a kind and support a deserving artist. Or, purchase wine, coffee, tea, spices, chocolates, sauces or other travel-friendly goodies that you can serve at a later time when the two of you need a pick-me-up.

Bottom line

Don’t let slick marketing dictate your Valentine’s Day travel plans and ideas. Skip the overrated, so-called romantic activities that don’t float your boat, and embrace activities that are meaningful to the two of you and celebrate the destination you’re visiting. That’s the surefire way to make sure your couple’s getaway is memorable for all the right reasons.

More romantic travel inspiration:

Featured image by MSTUDIOIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
3 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

6X6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
4X4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
2X2x points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Intro Offer
    Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.

    Earn 125,000 points
    75,000 points
  • Annual Fee

    $125
  • Recommended Credit
    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

    670-850
    Excellent/Good

Why We Chose It

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is a stacked card with a rewards rate that will help you earn bonus points on everyday and business-related purchases. You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year.

Pros

  • 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
  • 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. shipping
  • 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
  • Earn a free-night award each card renewal month (up to 35,000 points)
  • Receive 15 elite night credits to jump-start status
  • Transfer Marriott points to 40+ airlines

Cons

  • Airline points transfer ratios are poor
  • Must spend $60,000 in a year for second free-night award
  • Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.
  • Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
  • 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
  • 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
  • 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
  • Terms apply.